Oil tester



May 4, 1954 w. M. HARKS 2,677,303

OIL TESTER Filed March 21, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I23 83 95 la! WALTER M. HARKS INVENTOR.

AT TOR NEY May 4, 1954 w. M. HARKS 2,677,303

I OIL TESTER Filed March 21, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 WALTER M. HARKS JNVENTOR. /65 w/ 7 I ATTORNEY W. M. HARKS May 4, 1954 OIL TESTER 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 21 1950 WALTER M. HRRKS INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY W. M. HARKS May 4, 1954 OIL TESTER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 21, 1950 WALTER M. HARKS INVENTOR.

/ 44 ATTORNEY Patented May 4, 1954 OIL TESTER,

Walter M. Harks, Fort Wayne, Ind., assignor to Bowser, Inc., Fort Wayne, Inda a. corporation-v of Indiana Application March 21, 1950, Serial No. 150,937

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an oil tester, more specifically it relates to a device for indicating when the crankcase oil of an internal combustion engine is unfit for further use.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device which may be attached to the usual gasoline dispensing pump found in automobile serv-. ice stations.

It is anotherobject of the inventionto produce a: tester in which light is projected upon a sample of; oil through which it passes, partly by refrad tion, to a photoelectric tube.

It is a further object of the invention to produce an apparatus which will be operable iron either of two sides.

These and other objects will become apparent from a study of this specification and the drawings which are attached hereto and made a part hereof and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of .the device.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the device mounted upon a filling station pump.

Figure 3 is an elevation showing the sample sticl; guiding and switch operating mechanisms taken substantially on line 33 of Figure 4,

Figure 4 is an elevation of the interior of the devicewith some parts in section to show details stop mechanism taken substantially on line Id-Hl of Figure 4.

Figure 11 is an enlarged view of the light source, sample holder and photoelectric tube showing their relative positions.

Figure 1-2 is a wiring diagram of the device.

Referring first to Figures 1, 2 and 4, the. nu:-.

meral i' represents the usual. filling. station gasoe line dispenser which is equipped with a junction box 3- which is connected by conduit to a.

switch I.

A testing device which is indicated generally.

by the numeral s, comprises a. base H anda top head It between which is confined a housing [5.

The base isbolted in place on the canopy I! by bolts Ill. Tie rods 2! connect the base and;

2 top head (which are identical parts) to hold them together against the edges of the housing I5; Acap 23 closes the head i3 and is held in place thereon by studs 25'and nuts 21.

A pair of blocks 29 are supported on the base H by screws 3| and U,-bolts 33 enter the blocks to support the electric conduits 35 and 3-1 re-' spectively which are attached to the junction box 319 The latter is connected by a union M and a nipple 43 to the junction box 3 describedabove.

Conduit 35 is connected by an L and nipple 47. to a switch. 49 and by nipples 51, E3 and L 55 to the switch box 5?. The free end of the box is supported by a. bracket 5% which depends from fixed to the head l3 by screws 61 and is fixed to thebox by screws 53.

A switch 65 is mounted in the box. A sleeve 61 is mounted on the. lower side of the box and slidably carries a plunger. 69 which is adapted to operate the. switch; The lower end of the plunger is loosely f tted with a collar ll having a smallthreaded holev 12. A yoke 13 has a threaded stem '75 which enters thecap and a jam nut Tl holds theyohe inadjusted position with respect to the The guide has ears 93 bent toward each other at the top thereof: and thus confines the paddle to a single course. The side walls ofthe guide may beflaredat each endas at 95 to facilitate. the entranceoi the paddle,

As shown in Figures 4. and 10, a bracket 9 ;1

is mounted on the. platform. 8? and overhangs the paddleguide- 35. The bracket is notched: at 59-130 receiveand guide the. yoke 13'. A clip Iii];

snaps onto the bracket 91 and has a notch (net.

shown) which straddles the yoke 73 to hold it in the notch.

Pivotally mounted at I63 onv top of, the platform 81 and parallel: thereto is a stop rocker I05;

It is provided with bevelled ends I07: and stops;

I09 and H1 and. is disposed in. the pathof one side of the paddle as it enters the guide 85.

An opening H3 is formed in the front and rear sides of housing 15 and these. are covered 3 by the register mounting plates II5 which are held in place by suitable screws II1.

Diametrically opposed openings I I9 are formed in alignment with the guide 85 and permit entrance of the paddle. A door I2I is hingedly mounted on the plate II5 above each opening and is urged to closed position thereover by a spring I23.

A square opening I25 is formed in the platform (Figures 10 and 11) on the transverse center line of the platform and Slightly to the left of the center line of the guide 85 (Figure 10) A bracket I21 supports the socket I29 of the photoelectric tube ISI below the platform. A metal shield I33 for the tube is mounted on the socket and has a rectangular opening I35 therein, the radial axis of which inclines so that it passes through the left side of the opening I25 as shown in Figure 11.

A support I31 is mounted on the upper side of the platform by means of screws I39 and the sockets and other electrical parts for the electronic tubes MI, I43 and I45 are mounted thereon in any suitable manner.

A lamp base I41 (Figure 4) is connected by an L It!) to the conduit 31 and an incandescent lamp I5i is installed therein. A housing I53 is fitted over the lamp and is provided with a lateral tube I55 in which is mounted a system of lenses I51, I59 and a diaphragm IBI which is provided with a square aperture I63. The lenses preferably have a focal length of about three inches and have one convex and one plane side.

The axis 3 of the lens system is disposed at about 30 degrees above the horizontal platform 81 and is directed so as to pass through the opening I25 in platform 81 and through the opening I35 in shield I33. Thus when no sample is positioned in the beam, the photoelectric cell will be subjected to light of maximum intensity.

Each of the plates II5 is fitted with a register I55 which is a milliammeter. It is provided with a movable indicator I51 and fixed scale I69 which is divided into three sections I1I, I13 and I which are preferably colored green, orange and red. The first bears the legend Clean and the other two bear the Words Contamination Zone. To the right of the section I15 is the legend Start.

The paddle I11, Figures 6 and 7, is formed with a circular depression I19 centered at a predetermined distance from the end I8I of the paddle. A circular hole I83 is formed at the center of the depression. This hole is bounded by a pair of opposed, upward projections I05 and is undercut laterally at I81 on each side to prevent interference with the beam of light, as will be apparent from Figure 11.

A small saucer-like disc I89 (Figures 8 and 9) of transparent plastic material is adapted to fit into the opening I19 and has a central sample cup i9I which receives a predetermined amount of the oil to be tested. Any excess runs over the rim and is retained in the outer portion of the disc.

Wiring diagram Referring to Figure 12, it will be seen that the source of current for the operation of the device is the usual 115 volt, 60 cycle source which is available at the union in the main lines I93 and I95.

It is obvious that when the switch 49 is closed a circuit is established from I93 through I91, resistance I99, which is 200 ohms-- watts, the

heater elements 20l, 203 and 205 of the vacuum tubes I43, MI and I45 to the main I95. The elements 205 are provided with a separate shunt resistance 201 of 50 ohms-1 watt.

When switches 49 and 65 are closed, a circuit is formed from line I93 through line 209, microswitch 05 and lamp I5I to main I95. Switch 65 is closed by the insertion of the paddle into the machine.

Line I93 is also connected to the anode 2H and the cathode 2I3 of the 25-Z6GT tube I43 while line I95 is connected to anode 2I5 and cathode 2I1 through condensers 2I9 and HI which are 10 mfd, 450 volt.

This is a voltage doubler circuit of well known construction and its output lead 223 connects cathode 2 I1 with the milliammeters I 65.

The other lead 225 is connected respectively to a, resistance 221 of .56 megohm, to the cathode 229 of an 868 P. C. photoelectric tube 23I and to a voltage divider 233 of l megohm, the other side of the divider is connected to lead 223.

The divider 233 is connected through resistance 235 of 22 megohms to the anode 231 of the photoelectric tube and to the control grid 239 of the No. 38 tube I4I. This is a reverse circuit. The plate 2 of tube MI is connected through voltage divider 243 of .1 megohm to the voltage divider 245 of .1 megohm and to the control grid 241 thereof. The current from the plate 2 39 is connected to the meters I65 by line 25L Operation In order to operate the device, the operator will close switch 49 (assuming that the pump lamp switch 1 is on). This will energize the voltage doubler circuit and the electron tubes but not the photoelectric cell.

While the instrument is coming to normal operating condition the operator will insert a, disc I99 in the depression of the paddle I11 and place several drops of oil in the cup I9I. The excess oil will overflow the edge of the cup. He then inserts the paddle from either side of the machine.

As the paddle enters the slot H9 (Figure 3), the door I2I will be opened against the action of spring I23 and the paddle will enter the guide 85. As the forward end of the paddle engages the inclined face I01 of the stop rocker I05, it will position the stop I09 or I II at the other end of the rocker in the path of the paddle so as to position the latter with the cup in the path of the beam from lamp I5 I.

Also, as the paddle enters the guide, the forward end rides under the bevelled end 93 of the switch rocker 19. As the paddle passes under the other end of the rocker 19, the rod 13, 39 is raised and the switch 65 is closed to light the lamp I5I.

The beam passes through the sample and is refracted more or less toward the lower side of the opening I35 in the photoelectric cell shield I33.

The density of the oil increases as it becomes less eifective as a lubricant and its opacity increases as the load of foreign material in the oil increases. The density of the oil tends to shift the beam in the direction of the arrow C so that less light or in some cases, no light will enter the tube shield, as shown by the lower beam. The intensity of the light will also be decreased by the opacity of the sample.

As the intensity of the light decreases the plate 2&9 voltage increases because the photoelectric cell circuit is a reverse circuit. When the switch 55 closes, the paddle is not quite at the home pothe needle will settle back. If the oil is clean and not so dense, the amount of light entering the tube will be greater than if the oil is dense and dirty. The plate voltage will be less for the clean oil and the needle will be near the left end of the scale, in the green area I'll, marked Clean. As the opacity and density increase, the amount of light applied to the tube decreases and the plate voltage increases, deflecting the needle to Ward the right toward or into the Contamination Zone which is colored orange or red. If the needle stops in the red zone, the contamination is such that the oil should be changed.

After the meter reading has been secured, the operator will withdraw the paddle and eject the plastic disc. Usually it is advisable to also open switch 49 to deenergize the electronic circuits. The current of lamp I5! is, of course, opened as soon as the paddle is withdrawn from under rocker 10.

It is obvious that various changes may be made in the form, structure and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, applicant does not desire to be limited to the specific embodiment disclosed herein primarily for purposes of illustration; but instead, he desires protection falling fairly within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In an oil tester, a photoelectric cell, a lamp, means forming the light from the lamp into a photoelectric cell actuating beam, actuatable means for energizing the lamp, means for positioning an oil sample in the path of the beam comprising a sample holder, a guide therefor which is open at both ends so as to receive the positioning means in either end, means operable in either of two directions for stopping the holder with the sample in the beam and means operable in either of two directions by the sample holder to actuate said lamp energizing means as the sample holder is positioned.

2. In an oil tester, a photoelectric cell, a lamp, means forming the light from said lamp into a photoelectric cell actuating beam, means for positioning an oil sample in the beam comprising a guide open at both ends, a sample holder adapted to enter and to move in the guide from either end. double ended control means associated with the guide having holder positioning stop means at both ends, said holder upon engagement with said positioning means at one end of the control means serving to position the stop means at the other end of the path of the holder.

3. In an oil tester, a, photoelectric cell, a lamp, means forming the light from said lamp into a photoelectric cell actuating beam, a switch for energizing the lamp, means for positioning an oil sample in the beam comprising a guide open at both ends, a sample holder adapted to enter and to move in the guide from either end, double ended control means associated with the guide having holder positioning stop means at both ends, said holder upon engagement with said positioning means at one end of the control means serving to position the stop means at the other end in the path of the holder, an operator for said switch mounted in the path of said holder for operation thereby as it nears the positioned stop.

4. In an oil tester, a photoelectric cell, a lamp, means forming the light from said lamp into a photoelectric cell actuating beam, a switch for energizing the lamp, means for positioning an oil sample in the beam comprising a guide open at both ends, a sample holder adapted to enter and to move in the guide from either end, double ended control means associated with the guide having holder positioning stop means at both ends, said holder upon engagement with said positioning means at one end of the control means serving to position the stop means at the other end in the path of the holder, an operator for said switch comprising a switch rod, a double ended rocker pivotally mounted on the bottom thereof with both of its ends in the path of the holder, said rocker being formed to facilitate entry of the holder between both ends thereof and. the guide, said rocker serving to actuate said switchrod to close said switch only when the holder engages both ends thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,763,544 Tokheim June 10, 1930 1,905,251 Styer Apr. 25, 1933 2,022,919 Logan Dec. 3, 1935 2,056,791 Logan Oct. 6, 1936 2,062,588 Logan et al. Dec. 1, 1936 2,082,252 McDill June 1, 1937 2,133,544 Kolb Oct. 18, 1938 2,157,438 Sparks May 9, 1939 2,253,049 Riche Aug. 19, 1941 2,255,034 Bauer Sept. 2, 1941 2,413,208 Barnes Dec. 24, 1946 

